AlJames What else can I try?

Your problem, as I think I may have said, is not caused by the l;ow water detection system, but the failure of the pump to fill the tank and you are getting a pump timeout alarm. This is common on most programming of espresso machines.

Depending on the specific design to fill the tank…solenoids, one way valves…there is either:

  • A blockage
  • A piece of debris, causing some failure of any solenoid or valve
  • A solenoid failure if the solenoid has to be pulled in when the pump runs to open a valve, so the boiler can fill. If the machine can be plumbed or tanked, it makes sense to have the solenoid not be permanently energised when plumbed.

If there is a solenoid that needs to “pull in” when the pump runs, then that would be one area that’s favourite for the problem.

Your picture is so close, it’s hard to make out how it’s designed to work….I will try and see if there are suitable shots of the internals on the web…..

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    AlJames

    So few internal photos of the machine, hardly any in fact. These were snatched from a Video

    I couldn’t see clearly where the water inputs are from the pump/mains, but if I was a betting man, this is the solenoid valve I would be checking. Below some educated guesses because I can’t see exactly where the pump hoses go. There will be a 1 way valve which could be at the bottom of the manifold, where there is a nut etc.., or earlier in the machine.

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      Ok well I cannot upload any more photos…. don’t know why but have removed the pipe you suggest and no blockage there. I also used a hose to force water through bottom of the reservoir to try and free the pump - a little came through the group but same beep when switched on.

        AlJames I am not suggesting you remove the pipe, this was images snatched from a LR video on the web….It’s probably the solenoid…which is what you need to check…

        For clarity, if you are saying you removed the pipe with the spanner on it, or the pipe immediately below it from the water distributor, then ran the pump and water came pissing out…then of course the solenoid below them is fine…. if you ran the pump and nothing came out, then the solenoid could be faulty. Or the tube from the solenoid blocked if you undid the top one.

        If you are saying you just undid the pipe and couldn’t see a blockage…it doesn’t mean a lot.

        Check the solenoid!

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          Right - pump is supplying water to the IN side of the solenoid but its not getting through so presumably I need to order up a new solenoid unit and the actual valve too… (?)

            have you tried the fill sensor?

            Decent De1pro v1.45 - Niche Duo - Niche Zero - Decent is the best machine ever made -

            AlJames Right - pump is supplying water to the IN side of the solenoid but its not getting through so presumably I need to order up a new solenoid unit and the actual valve too… (?)

            They come as a single unit and it would be good to verify this first…

            1. get multimeter, set to AC volts 250+ volts range if not auto ranging, place on solenoid and let pump run,. you should register a voltage…if you don’t could be wiring fault to solenoid, or failure of Gicar RL30 box. If you do get voltage move to step 2
            2. If multimeter shows power coil may be fooked. Unplug machine power off and take a resistance reading of the coil (tell us what it is). If coil is OK, move to step 3
            3. Solenoid may be blocked, disassemble and see what’s what.

            I hope that’s clear enough, if not, get an espresso machine engineer to take a look, they will have it fixed within 30 minutes if they have the standard parts required.

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              Here is the video how to clean the solenoid valve:

              Aye, I appreciate all these ideas but you’re talking to an unemployed music educator so yes, I can get my hands on a multimetre but I wouldn’t have the first idea how to take a reading with it or which bit of the solenoid to try poke the wee pointy bits into…

              I have back flushed the inlet valve twice…. no change.

              Any recommendations for an espresso engineer in Edinburgh?

                AlJames Any recommendations for an espresso engineer in Edinburgh?

                Best move, will have it sorted in no time…

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                  Many thanks all - I’ll get in touch 👍

                  2 months later

                  Just to give folks an update on this matter. It is still not resolved unfortunately. The machine was given to Espresso Solutions in Glasgow where it sat in a queue for a technician. When it was his turn, and after a bit of testing it was diagnosed as a faulty pump. Fracino refused to deal with ES saying he had to deal with the New Zealand based company. A pump was purchased at a cost in excess of £300 and Al was assured that it would be posted direct to the technician as they are 70 miles away. Yes, of course it was posted to AL who then had to forward it. Meanwhile, the machine worked its way back through the queue!
                  When the day came and the new pump was fitted, it was found to be leaking from the ‘weep hole’ and unusable. So, back in touch with New Zealand who agreed to send a replacement £300+ pump out, and as of last night, that is the state of play. This is the stuff that legends are made of! Does any kind soul know if Londinium have an authorised UK repairer these days as that would seem a solution.
                  I will update you again when everything is sorted out! The most annoying part is that the machine is pretty new. It was one of the last Londinium R models, sold in April 2020 with 3 months warranty still left on it. To have to shell out megabucks on a pump after such a short period of time is not what anyone would reasonably expect.

                  https://www.suddencardiacarrestuk.org/2024/02/thank-goodness-for-madeira-cake/

                  19 days later

                  Right when Londinium were contacted regarding replacing the faulty pump, they insisted the faulty one was returned (despite the fact a qualified engineer was fitting it. Londinium on asking, have confirmed that they have received the faulty pump back, but have not confirmed that they have sent a new one. AL is going to phone the service company tomorrow to check.
                  Is this the legendary customer service we are constantly told of?

                  https://www.suddencardiacarrestuk.org/2024/02/thank-goodness-for-madeira-cake/

                  • LMSC replied to this.

                    dfk41 Disappointing!

                    Please don’t get me wrong, The pump is expensive. I can understand if they want it back. But, a replacement doesn’t have to wait.

                    But, I can’t help comparing this (not exactly like for like, given the cost of this pump) to the lack of a common / an economic sense of some biggest online retailers insisting that we return the faulty units costing a few quids to get a refund at the cost of a return postage, which should often be paid by the seller. At least, some of the big ones are pretty good at sending a replacement immediately, which doesn’t have to wait until the faulty parts are received.

                    What a shame? It’s been 3 months, right? Sorry for AL! 😌

                      Pair of wire snippers would sort that right out 😂

                      Decent De1pro v1.45 - Niche Duo - Niche Zero - Decent is the best machine ever made -